Student Tips: Adam's final year advice

Student Tips: Adam's final year advice

Final year is tough. It's filled with reading, revision and late nights. It can be stressful – but you will get through it and it will be July before you know it! Having recently finished my final year of university and graduating from Herts just last year, here are some of my top tips to help you get through.

1. Get started early

At the start of a new Semester, it may seem like you have loads of time similar to your first and second year. However, time will soon start to slip away, and you will be wishing you have more time to spend on your modules and dissertation/final project. So, getting started early is the best way to avoid running out of time towards the end of your course. Make sure you start to prioritise reading books, researching essays or revising for your exams/assingments. It will make your life a lot easier in the end and you will thank yourself later!

2. Make sure you allow yourself to socialise

In final year it can be easy to get lost in your work and spend hours locked in your room on your own. However, you need to make sure you have balance. For me this would be one of the most important points as the more time you spend on your own worrying about your work, the bigger the problem can seem. So, setting time aside each week to forget about your work and socialise with friends will be a great stress relief.

3. Seek help if you need it

Always speak to someone if you need help. This could be from an academic or a wellbeing perspective. If you are struggling with an aspect of your course, make time to talk to your lecturers alone. Lecturers will often hold drop-in sessions or the chance to talk to them at the end of your lectures. Alternatively, if things are getting too much emotionally, our university has a great student support and wellbeing team. Make sure you reach out to someone in these teams, there is no judgement and they can really help. Watch our ‘How are you?’ video to find out more.

4. Keep an eye on your money

Having the stress of money on top of your already difficult workload is not a good combination. Try to budget your money and student loan as early in the semester as possible, because once it runs out, it is gone. I found having a routine can help with this – set time aside each day to cook fresh dinners and prepare lunches for the next day. Be as thrifty as possible and save the pennies!

5. Stay healthy and get a good night sleep

As your work load becomes harder and your deadlines increase, it is important to eat well, drink plenty of water and to get a good night’s sleep. You will perform your best if you’re feeling healthy and happy! Grades are important but so is your health!


Adam Walker, University of Hertfordshire - Film and Television Production Graduate